1. Technical Field
The present invention generally relates to sewer lines for recreational vehicles and, more particularly, to a coupling that is used on two ends of a sewer hose to prevent leakage from the hose after the sewer hose is used to empty the sewage holding tank on the recreational vehicle. Specifically, the present invention is related to a valved sewer hose coupling having a sliding valve disposed between a pair of rigid tube sections that receive sections of flexible sewer line.
2. Background Information
Touring in recreational vehicles (RVs) has become increasingly popular in recent years. Most new RVs include a lavatory that empties into a holding tank that temporarily holds the sewage until the tank is pumped out or emptied into an appropriate waste treatment system.
Most RV camping areas have power hook ups, fresh water hook ups, and a sewage disposal system that may be used by the owner of the recreational vehicle for a fee. The sewage disposal system typically includes an inlet disposed at ground level near the camping area. The user of the recreational vehicle connects with the sewage disposal system by using a sewer hose to connect an outlet of the holding tank to the inlet to the sewage disposal system. The outlet of the holding tank is typically valved to prevent unintended release.
Once the sewer hose is connected, the user opens the valve to the holding tank and allows the tank to empty into the sewage system. The user then closes the valve to the holding tank and disconnects the sewer hose. A problem with this system is that the residue inside the sewer hose often leaks or drips out onto the ground while the sewer hose is being stored. The result is that the ground around the RV is contaminated with sewage leaving it undesirable for camping. The contamination is especially unpleasant when the users of the RV are cooking out or sitting outside the RV. The leakage can also lead to environmental harm that may lead to liability for the campgrounds. The art thus desires a sewer hose for an RV that does not create the leaking problem of the past. Such a sewer hose must be able to be stored in the same storage container as present sewer hoses. These hoses are typically stored in the bumper of the RV. The storage container has a limited cross sectional area and length that prevents the solution from having large dimensions.
The present invention provides an RV sewer hose having valved ends that allow the body of the sewer hose to be sealed to prevent residual sewage from leaking from the hose after the hose has been used to empty the holding tank of an RV. In one embodiment, the invention provides a valved sewer hose has exterior dimensions that are smaller than the interior dimensions of the RV bumper so that the valved sewer hose may be stored inside the bumper. In another embodiment of the invention, the valves disposed at each end of the sewer hose are manually-operated and include covers that prevent the user from contacting any residual sewage when the user opens the valves.
The invention also provides a valved coupling for an RV sewer hose that may be selectively connected to existing sewer hoses. In this embodiment of the invention, the invention provides a valved coupling having one end that connects to the sewer hose and another end that connects with the sewage disposal system or the outlet to the holding tank.